Ностромо

           Anoutcastlotofverymixedblood,mainlynegroes,everlastinglyatfeudwiththeothercustomersoflowgrogshopsinthetown,theyembracedwithdelightthisopportunitytosettletheirpersonalscoresundersuchfavourableauspices.Therewasnotoneofthemthathadnot,atsometimeorother,lookedwithterroratNostromo’srevolverpokedverycloseathisface,orbeenotherwisedauntedbyNostromo’sresolution.Hewas“muchofaman,”theirCapatazwas,theysaid,tooscornfulinhistemperevertoutterabuse,atirelesstaskmaster,andthemoretobefearedbecauseofhisaloofness.Andbehold!therehewasthatday,attheirhead,condescendingtomakejocularremarkstothismanortheother.

           Suchleadershipwasinspiriting,andintruthalltheharmthemobmanagedtoachievewastosetfiretoone—onlyone—stackofrailway-sleepers,which,beingcreosoted,burnedwell.Themainattackontherailwayyards,ontheO.S.N.Offices,andespeciallyontheCustomHouse,whosestrongroom,itwaswellknown,containedalargetreasureinsilveringots,failedcompletely.EventhelittlehotelkeptbyoldGiorgio,standingalonehalfwaybetweentheharbourandthetown,escapedlootinganddestruction,notbyamiracle,butbecausewiththesafesinviewtheyhadneglecteditatfirst,andafterwardsfoundnoleisuretostop.Nostromo,withhisCargadores,waspressingthemtoohardthen.